Light high explosive bomb for dispersing toxic and insecticidal aerosols



p 21, 1965 R. LE TOURNEAU 3,207,071

LIGHT HIGH EXPLOSIVE BOMB FOR DISPERSING' TOXIC AND INSECTICIDAL AEROSOLS Filed 001;. 24, 1955 Fig. 2.

43 I J J 63- xi; 35" 7 37- 29 -7 I l/ 1 9 x 1 l7 x Haber? L. Le7bumeau INVENTOR.

BY Q

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,207,071 LIGHT HIGH EXPLOSIVE BOMB FOR DISPERSING TOXIC AND INSECTICIDAL AEROSOLS Robert L. LeTourneau, Richmond, Califi, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Oct. 24, 1955, Ser. No. 542,528 2 Claims. (Cl. 102-6) This invention relates to light high explosive bombs for dispersing insecticidal and toxic agents in the form of aerosols.

The importance of dispersing insecticides and chemical warfare agents as very small drops or particles has been recognized. In the case of chemical warfare agents this is true not only in the case of solid toxic agents which must be very finely divided to effectively penetrate the nasal barriers, but also of the liquid agents when it is desired to set up an immediate high concentration of vapor in the initial cloud in order to produce casualties before the gas mask can be adjusted.

Numerous types of shells and bombs for the dissemination of chemical warfare agents have previously been devised. An object of my invention is to provide a light economical bomb giving better dissemination of liquid and solid agents than previously known types.

It is also desirable to provide a bomb which can be dropped from high altitudes for the dissemination of in secticides. Such a bomb could be dropped over enemy territory in advance of forward troops so as to free from mosquitos the areas which will subsequently be occupied. It is therefore a further object of my invention to provide an economical, highly efficient high explosive insecticidal bomb.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an external elevation of my bomb, showing its relation to a similar bomb in a cluster.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section taken on line 22, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken on line 33, FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on line 4-4, FIG. 2.

In attaining the desired objects of the invention, I have found the details of construction to be important. I have produced the desired degree of dissemination by exploding a long, slender bomb formed of a frangible plastic which is provided with an axial high explosive bursting charge and filled with a liquid or a suspension of finely divided solids in liquid. The liquid should be one which is high in specific gravity and low in viscosity and surface tension. The liquid should also be highly volatile as compared to the agents and must be compatible with the plastic used to form the container.

A suitable liquid filling for insecticidal purposes is carbon tetrachloride solution containing by weight DDT (dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane) and 10% by weight polymethyl naphthalene.

A suitable suspension of solid toxic agent in liquid is a carbon tetrachloride suspension containing 35% by weight of finely divided ricin having a particle size of about 200 mesh and smaller, Tyler Standard. This suspension has been found to give much better results than was obtained using either dry ricin or a solution of ricin in water. In addition to giving a better dispersion than when dry powder is used, the explosive dissemination of the suspension also gives less denaturation (reduction in toxicity) of the thermally sensitive ricin.

Referring to the drawing my bomb comprises an elongated cylindrical casing 1 formed of a phenol-formaldehyde resin bonded kraft paper. In a typical model the length is 21%; in., the outside diameter 1 A in. and the thickness A: in. These proportions have been found 3,2fi7fi7l Patented Sept. 21, 1965 ice to give excellent dissemination. The bomb is used in conventional cluster adapters and the exact size should be chosen to fit a given adapter.

The lower end (as shown positioned on the drawing) is closed by the lower plug 3, provided with a filling plug 5. An upper plug,7 defines the upper limits of the main cavity of the bomb. The plugs 3 and 7 are formed of laminated resin and are cemented in casing 1. Extending between the plugs is a tube casing 9 formed of the same material and closed at its lower end by an aluminum plug disk 11. Within the tube casing is a brass burster tube 13 containing tetryl pellets 15. At the lower end of the burster tube are tube stopper 17 and felt plug 19. A detonator 21 is located in the upper end of the burster tube. If less tetryl is required for the particular use, additional felt pads are employed.

The main cavity 23 is filled with a carbon tetrachloride solution of DDT and polymethylnaphthalene or a carbon tetrachloride suspension of ricin, as described earlier in this specification. Other liquids or suspensions may be employed if desired but these have been found particularly suited for their respective applications.

The upper end of the bomb includes a highly sensitive all-ways fuse, which will be described.

A fuse shell 25 is screwed into upper plug 7 and carries a fuse cap 27. Within shell 25 is a primer cylinder 29 which carries a primer 31 held in place by primer washer 33. Within the cylinder is a firing plunger body 35 carrying a firing pin 37 and normally held away from the primer by plunger spring 39.

The plunger 35 includes a diametral bore 41 in which safety balls 43 are mounted. In the disarmed state, shown in the drawings the balls are held outwardly by arming pin 47 and prevent movement of the plunger toward the primer. An arming pin snap 51 formed of spring material and under compression surrounds the head of the arming pin. A sealing cap 53 closes the upper end of casing 1 and is provided with a sealing gasket 55. The cap is held in place by top clip 57. This clip is associated with side clip 59 in such a manner that when the latter is held against the side of the casing 1 the clips are locked in circumferential groove 61 and hold sealing cap 53. (The operation of these clips is the same as that of members 19, 20 and 21 of Patent 2,671,398 granted March 9, 1954, to Allen S. Peck, executor.)

An arming spring 63 is held under compression by cap 53.

So long as the bomb is clustered, side clip 59 is held in position by adjacent bombs. When the cluster is broken release of clip 59 permits the arming spring 63 to push off cap 53. Arming pin 47 then drops out or is ejected by arming pin snap 51 permitting balls 43 to roll inwardly. Firing plunger 35 is then free to move toward primer 31 and vice versa. Upon striking any obstruction the firing pin will be driven into the primer, due to the inertia of the cylinder 29 or plunger 35, or the camming action of the inner surface of fuse cap 27, depending on the direction of impact. Actuation of the primer 31, detonator 21 and bursting charge 15 then takes place.

Field tests have shown these bombs to be efficient for their intended purpose as shown by the following examples.

Example I The bombs were filled with 400 cc. of liquid containing 10% DDT, 10% polymethyl naphthalene and CCL; (approximately). Slides were placed upon the size. Approximately 90% were found to be under 25 microns in diameter. The dosage at ground level, for all stations within the indicated area exceeded 99% kill of adult mosquitos. The estimated eifective area of the cloud was 390 square yards.

Example II Bombs of the type described were filled with 400 cc. of a 35 suspension of very finely divided ricin in carbon tetrachloride and exploded. Particles were collected on coated slides, sticky rods and impacters located on an area 50 yards from the bombs. The means diameter of the ricin particles was found to be about 7 microns and was smaller than that obtained by any other type of dispersal, which included munitions dispersing both solids and suspensions in various manners.

I claim:

1. A bomb comprising an elongated casing formed of phenol-formaldehyde resin, a first plug closing a first end of said casing, a second plug located near the second end of said casing, a burster tube extending between said plugs, said casing, plugs and tube forming a main cavity, a filling in said main cavity consisting essentially of substantially 10% DDT, 10% polymethyl naphthalene and 80% carbon tetrachloride, by weight, a high explosive burster charge substantially filling said burster tube, and an impact-sensitive fuze positioned between said second plug and said second end of said casing and adapted to detonate said burster charge.

2. A bomb comprising an elongated casing formed of phenol-formaldehyde resin, a first plug closing a first end of said casing, a second plug located near the second end of said casing, a burster tube extending between said plugs, said casing, plugs and tube forming a main cavity, a filling in said main cavity consisting essentially of substantially 35% by weight of finely divided ricin suspended in substantially 65% by weight of carbon tetrachloride, a high explosive burster charge substantially filling said burster tube, and an impact-sensitive fuze positioned between said second plug and said second end of said casing and adapted to detonate said burster charge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,344,558 6/20 Nieukirk 102-6 1,417,475 5/22 Weeke 102-66 1,509,208 9/24 Hull 102-70.2 X 1,914,902 6/33 Volek 167-43 2,154,850 4/39 Kaufmann 167-43 2,476,973 7/49 Gillon 102-6 2,487,818 11/49 MacF'arland 102-8 2,543,723 2/51 Hillyer 167-42 2,589,129 3/52 Ponder et a1. 102-6 2,791,178 5/57 Thompson 102-6 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

ARTHUR M. HORTON, SAMUEL BOYD,

Examiners. 

1. A BOMB COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CASING FORMED OF PHENOL-FORMALDEHYDE RESIN, A FIRST PLUG CLOSING A FIRST END OF SAID CASING, A SECOND PLUG LOCATED NEAR THE SECOND END OF SAID CASING, A BURSTER TUBE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID PLUGS, SAID CASING, PLUGS AND TUBE FORMING A MAIN CAVITY, A FILLING IN SAID MAIN CAVITY CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF SUBSTANTIALLY 10% DDT, 10% POLYMETHYL NAPHALENE AND 